Are you taking care of your body? Avoid these 5 things to keep yourself safe!

Taking care of your body is more than just eating right and getting enough rest. There are a whole host of things to watch out for. Everything from what you choose to wash your body with to—well–what you don’t wash often enough can have a profound effect on your health. Here are 5 strange things you probably didn’t know you needed to pay attention to in order to keep your body safe.

You need to replace your body scrubber monthly

That loofah you’ve had around for ages? It’s probably teaming with bacteria. Most scrubbers are porous, and left in the shower. The warm, moist environment is an ideal place for bacteria to grow. If you can’t remember the last time you got yourself a new body scrubber, it is definitely time to get a new one. Keeping an old one around is a recipe for infection, especially if you use it right after shaving or over a nick or cut. Stay safe, and treat yourself to a new scrubber. You deserve it.

You need to wear sunscreen even when it rains

Cloudy skies aren’t an excuse to put the sunscreen away for the winter. UV light can still filter through the clouds, and while you may not get a sunburn, your skin is still being exposed to cancer causing UV rays. If you feel silly slathering it on, get a facial treatment that includes UV protection and use that daily instead.

This is especially important on snowy days. The cold crisp air tricks us into thinking we don’t need sunscreen, but that blinding sunlight reflecting off the snow can actually cause more damage than a hot sunny day. Stay safe, and use at least a little UV protection every day, especially on your face.

You don’t wash your towel or sheets often enough

There’s good reason to wash personal items like towels and sheets frequently. It isn’t just the fact that dirt builds up over time (after all, you’re clean as whistle when you use that towel, so why not just keep hanging it up?) It’s also once again bacteria. You can get a staph infection from reusing these things too often. Wash all cloth items regularly to keep the bacteria down and your body safe from harm. (Tip: this also includes pajamas.)

Keeping your personal items clean won’t just protect you from bacteria either. Frequently washing your sheets and pillow cases may help reduce allergies, and even those surprise pimples that always crop up the night before an important event. Stay clean (and pimple free) with just an added wash here and there.

You need to put the phone down

Carrying a cellphone everywhere you go has become a pretty normal state of affairs. Unfortunately, it isn’t always good for you. While cell phones don’t cause cancer (that we know of), it can kill you. 1 out of every 4 crashes in the United States alone is caused by texting while driving. Many of these accidents end in death or serious bodily harm.

Keep yourself safe, and turn your phone off or even put it in your trunk while you are driving. It’s important.

No screen time at all before bed

The car isn’t the only place you shouldn’t be using your phone. If you find yourself up all night texting, it may not be just a bad habit. The blue light from screens including phones and computers burns away the melatonin in your brain, keeping you wide awake. This might make for a great morning routine to get you ready for the day, but at night when you are trying to sleep it is horrible for your body. Protect your sleeping time and stop using screens an hour before bed. Your body will thank you.

Taking care of yourself is important. You need your body in order to enjoy life to its fullest. Taking proper care of it is one of the best things you can do for yourself, and for others too. Even something as simple as washing your sheets can go a long way to protecting you from serious diseases, and that means living healthier and happier.